SUSAN HENCHMAN PAVELKO MEMORIAL PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

This scholarship program is sponsored by Kids Count of Milford and provides scholarships to Milford families. Parents with children who are 2 years 9 months to age 3 years 9 months in September and have not reached kindergarten age are eligible to apply.

Scholarships are provided to families who can demonstrate financial need based on their income.

Scholarships are available September through May
$110 for 3 year old children
$130 for 4 year old children

Families who are experiencing a temporary hardship may be eligible for a short term scholarship at anytime throughout the preschool year.

Download the application

The Milford private preschools owners/directors report that enrollment in their programs is consistently maintained because families who receive financial support through the Scholarship Program can afford to keep their children in the program. Families who are not eligible for other support such as the State of Connecticut Care 4 Kids program express appreciation for the scholarships and the opportunity to maintain their children in quality preschools.

HONORING SUSAN HENCHMAN PAVELKO
At the 2017 Legislative Breakfast, Kids Count of Milford presented the Champion of Young Children Award in Loving Memory of Susan
Henchman Pavelko who was a life-long Milford resident a past president and member of the Kids Count of Milford board of directors.

Sue was instrumental in creating the John Peterson Memorial Preschool Scholarship Fund which provides preschool scholarships to Milford families. In conjunction with the scholarship program, Sue helped launch professional development workshops for preschool staff and parents. This effort is beneficial in that it assists preschools to offer high quality, local educational opportunities to their staff.

In an effort to bring attention to the wide array of Milford private preschools, Sue and other board members, created the Kids Count Preschool Showcase which is held in November of each year at the Milford Public Library. Parents have the opportunity to visit with the preschool owners, directors and teaching staff to learn more about the programs and help them determine which preschool fits their
family best.

Sue and her daughter, Amy Donegan, over the course of four years, brought Family Read to Milford; and as trained facilitators, met with
families once a week for 10 weeks to help parents become story readers and tellers and reading role models for their children, helping
them build vocabulary, think independently, learn life values and explore the world through stories.

As the chair of Kids Count’s annual fundraiser, Harborlight Happening, Sue helped raise several thousands of dollars to fund the
programs of Kids Count. Her family and friends often commented that, each year, Sue would be high highest bidder of many of the live
or silent auction items.

Sue’s efforts influenced the lives of countless children and their parents through her belief in the importance of focusing on the early years of a child’s life and providing opportunities to parents as well as the staff of preschools to enhance every child’s educational, social and emotional development.

Sue’s greatest achievements were raising her two children, AmyPavelko-Donegan and David Pavelko and playing an important role in
the lives of her niece and five nephews. Lastly, she cherished her time as a loving and supportive grandmother to her two grandsons,
Tucker and Colin Donegan and her granddaughter, Leila Pavelko.